Is becoming a teacher a good job, what more should I know?
My name is Daniela and I am in the 10th grade. Growing up, I always told myself that I wanted to become a teacher and now that I am a bit more older, I am trying to understand more and I really have to decide. I know I do want to become a teacher but I don't know if it is best for me or if I don't know enough. #teacher
4 answers
Gloria’s Answer
I think that the question I would want to ask you first is this - what do you mean by good? I was a teacher in corporate companies. When a lot of people think about teaching, they think of teachers of school aged children (kindergarten through high school). There is a great difference in the salaries of various teaching positions. However, if you have a passion for teaching, then being a teacher has many more rewards beyond the salary. I really love helping people learn a new skill, a skill that will help them improve in their career. It can be addictive to see people learn and grow.
There are some challenges with teaching. You have to be very flexible. Everyone learns differently and it can be very challenging to try and teach some people. You have to be willing to change your teaching style or taking a longer amount of time to teach something. Teaching can be physically taxing, with a lot of standing and moving around, so you have to take good care of yourself. Sometimes, you will need to become a student to learn new topics and ways of teaching. Being a lifelong student is a very valuable habit to keep while you are a teacher. And sometimes there is the disappointment of not being able to help a student. That can be the toughest challenge of all, when someone you teach cannot pass the class you are teaching.
Overall teaching is exciting and rewarding. You get to meet a lot of people and you can really have a positive impact on lives.
Gloria
Sheila’s Answer
Hi Daniela:
Thank you for your question. It's awesome that you want to become a teacher. Many teachers call their work a labor of love. Those who choose to enter the teaching profession are looking forward to a long career of educating students and possibly moving up into administrative positions, where they can have a sizable impact on curriculum development and school system planning. There's always a great need for teachers especially when you are passionate about the profession. My daughter graduated from college and got hired immediately teaching High School Math. She enjoys it very much.
Here are a few suggestions to help you get started exploring teaching:
1) Observe your current teachers. Schedule time to speak with them and ask questions
2) Talk to your Guidance or Career Counselor. They should be able to direct you to resources that you could research
3) Volunteer to assist your current teachers with any requests they may have
4) Check with your family members to see if there are any teachers in the family. If so, start asking them questions about the profession
I have a question for you. What area of teaching are you interested in such as Kindergarten, Elementary, Middle School, High School or College? May I suggest that you start now thinking about what area you'd like to go in and start your research from there as a basis. You might discover that although you started out wanting to become a High School teacher - Elementary might be better. You have plenty of time to decide on this. I just wanted to give you something to think about.
I wish you much success on your journey. You'll do well as a teacher. Go change lives! :)
~ Sheila
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Brittany’s Answer
I was just like you before I finally decided to become a teacher! I was always very shy and afraid of public speaking so I questioned if it would be a good fit for my personality. I gave myself the opportunity to work with students as a Teacher’s Assistant (someone who helps a classroom teacher during class) and a tutor. Both of those experiences were very positive and helped me make the decision to finally become a teacher. I would suggest doing a few things first.
1. Ask yourself why you considered becoming a teacher.
2. Give yourself an opportunity to work with kids by volunteering, babysitting, becoming a mentor, etc. There are lots of opportunities out there and even some virtual ones because of the pandemic. This will also help you decide what grade you might want to teach.
3. Do some research! There’s a lot that goes into teaching. It can be fun and rewarding but you are also very busy and there’s a lot of work that goes into it. Also think about what subjects you might be interested in.
Teaching is a great career path. You really get to impact the lives of children and make a difference. We’re the only job out there that creates other jobs, which id pretty cool when you think about it. It’s a huge responsibility, but I think it is something you will enjoy if you’re really interested in it. I hope this helps you!
Sincerely,
Brittany
Karen’s Answer
I believe a teacher is one of the best jobs there is and great that you have thought about it for a number of years. While there are many challenges in being a teacher, as there are in most careers, it can be extremely rewarding if you think about the influence you will have on the lives of those you teach.
If you feel passionate about wanting to teach, you can learn all that is necessary to know. Some key skills to being successful include a lot of patience, flexibility and a great desire to be an example of what you want others to learn and how they can develop. A lot of teaching is allowing students to observe you and how you make them feel.
With every good wish!
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